Fate is In Our Hands
by Aki no Usagi
Summary: [ShouRitsu] [Aged-Up AU] [Mafia AU] [Post-Break Up] Shou thought their paths were not meant to align forever. But he was told otherwise, even so does he have the right to choose?


**Aight, so this is a sequel to my ShouRitsu fic before, "To Our Separate Ways"**  
**It's totally alright to not read that before this but well**  
**do try for the full experience I guess?**  
**lmao**

**Anyhow, please enjoy~**

* * *

Ever since he was a kid, Shou had been special. Strangely, even then he had been aware of the fact that he's different with the rest of the children around him. On top of being what's close to a prodigy among espers, he was also a natural leader, brimming with confidence and charisma just like his father. If he desired so, he could bring all kinds of people to his side with persuasion skill that, given several years, would rival Suzuki Touichirou's. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, they said.

He possesses a dauntless heart with a spark of just, yet having no difficulty to stand by the darkness for the sake of his goal. The result of his extraordinary life and environment as he grew up might be it. As a child, there were times Shou was envious of the others his age. Going to school, eating lunchboxes, club activities, competitions and festivals, those are the kind of mediocre daily life things he never tasted. But it wasn't until he met a special someone that the desire grow stronger, stronger, to become a completely different feeling.

In that shit of a building called 7th Division's headquarters, Shou met him one night. Surrounded by the corridor with ghastly white walls, he sneered at a boy in his uniform. Their position was that of an escapee and warden, not exactly a pleasant situation for a fateful encounter. From first impression, all he remembered of that boy was his interesting persona and black gakuran. He took a liking to him almost immediately.

Kageyama Ritsu, he learnt of his name afterwards. He was in his mind for a good period of time. Curiosity coulnd't help arising inside him. And when Shou had an excuse to, he went and grabbed the opportunity to meet him again. That was the start of how he fell in love with Ritsu. What he was yet to be aware of was deeply regretting it 12 years later.

* * *

"Leader!" Fukuda, one of Shou's subordinates in Claw's times, exclaimed in joy.

"'Sup?" He greeted back with a grin. He had long been disbanded their little group of rebellion and set his men free to live the life they wanted, but they couldn't shake off the habit of calling him by that. Years passed and even though there's no need to, Shou kept in contact with them. They were good companies to drink with and whom he trusts, better than none at least.

They exchanged updates of how each other were doing, before Fukuda went quiet. Despite the front he put up, that man, the most attentive of his 3 men, saw through him immediately. "It's rare that you're so down." He started. "Did something happen?"

Shou only stared at him with a helpless smile. He couldn't deny, but it was pretty lame to be read so easily like that

"You really don't change at all, do you?" Fukuda chuckled.

"Shut up. I have changed plenty, like height or stuff."

He laughed and continued. "So, do you want to talk about it?"

The younger of the two picked up his glass of beer, gulping it down to avoid eye contact. "Not really."

"Let me guess. Is it about Ritsu-kun?"

As expected, that name caught his attention. Shou glanced at Fukuda, who in one kind of way had been like his guardian. Growing up without much of a father's love, the three men that addressed him as leader were the only adults that sincerely cared for the brat him. It's too embarrassing to say it out loud, though, he's glad he had them to talk his heart out to. But still, he chose to keep his mouth shut.

Shou shook his head. "No. There's nothing to talk about." Consciously or not, the words felt heavier than he thought it would, leaving his mouth. "I told you, we've broken up."

"Are you sure?"

"How can I not?"

Fukuda lowered his gaze after a pause. "That's a lie, isn't it?" He could tell, because Shou wouldn't look at him in the eyes. No matter how old he became, Fukuda knew, he's still the same old Shou that's straightforward to his feelings and sucked at lying about it.

The orange-haired didn't answer and that was enough to confirm the truth.

"Well, it's up to you if you want to talk about it or not. Just know that I'll be there if you need an ear."

This time, Shou didn't avert his eyes from the smile plastered on Fukuda's face. He sighed and thanked him. There was no particular point in hiding it, but he had promised himself. He wouldn't think or talk about that man again. The latter was still manageable somehow by forcing himself, so he would strive for it. The former, however, was plainly impossible. Because Ritsu, that one person was so precious and irreplaceable in his life he couldn't help himself.

* * *

Psychic power, intelligence, social skill, and such, Touichirou had it all which gave birth to an ambition of world domination. Even so, it still wasn't easy for him to climb up the ladder in society to gather men, build headquarters or act freely in one country to another. For that, he acquired himself a mean through the underworld to his convenience. That was where he met a woman who later became the mother of Suzuki Shou.

For a long time, Shou had accepted the fact that he has a fixed place in the mafia and lived with it. Peaceful, innocent life was not, and will not be for him. Even if he didn't have any special power, even if his father didn't go on rampage, even if he hadn't met Ritsu, his fate wouldn't change. Though, Shou wasn't particularly upset about it. He didn't blame anything or anyone for being born in the side of the world where sun doesn't shine on. If anything, that kind of environment suits his nature better.

But then, he met Ritsu at his young age of 13, when emotions weren't stable within him. Thrill, depression, restlessness, they came one after another without a moment of rest. They were both pretty much raging bag of hormones, with Ritsu more on the restraining side. Shou began to seek the world the other resided in and recklessly bargained his future for a few years of his youth to spend with Ritsu. That was probably the first time in his life that he despised where he belongs. When his time is up, he'd have to go back, leaving that bright world filled with hope and his loved one.

Shou had a dream once, one where he sat in a pure white, empty room. Before him was a single canvas, along with paint and brush on his hands. He painted, and painted, forgetting everything else around him, yet he couldn't even recall what he was aiming for. Suddenly, a door opened out of nowhere. When Shou looked up, a raven-haired man came in.

"Suzuki," he called out. In that instant, colours spread, rapidly around them and Shou was brought back to reality, to the apartment room they shared. The faint smell of coffee mixed with the strong odour of oil paint was the temporary, yet beautiful everyday life of them.

It's extremely selfish of him to leave, Shou realized, but he never knew that everything would go so well and he'd get so attached to that man. That's why returning to that house was something he shouldn't have ever done. Upon breaking up, he had made sure to eliminate every belonging of his to avoid being seen by Ritsu. Who'd guess that he would forget something important instead because of that?

On his way there, Shou considered turning back a lot of times, and he still did by the front door. It'd be horrible if he ran into his ex-boyfriend there. But he took a deep breath, gathered his courage, and put his hand on the doorknob. He replayed the scene in his imagination for the umpteenth time, one of how to act and stuff would the worst case scenario occurred.

If he had to prove how much he's not over this relationship, this is it. Just by entering the house, he knew Ritsu's home. Everything, all the small details he's so used to, gave him hints. Be it the turned on light at living room, the letters scattered on coffee table, or the wet kitchen sink. Shou entered the bedroom, making it as silently as possible. There, he found him. Unable to resist himself, he walked closer to the queen sized bed they shared, to the sleeping Ritsu.

He sat beside him, watching him and feeling the pain seeping through his chest. For most of the time, Ritsu puts on a poker face, looking way unpleasant than he means to. He is stupidly serious, can't take a joke, a perfectionist, and has brother complex. More than often, he nags at Shou who's the polar opposite of him. Someone like that even though he's troublesome and not cute at all, Shou still fell head over heels for him.

Shou reached out his hand, caressing the raven-haired's cheek with the back of his hand. Moving his thumb upward, he gently wiped the trace of tears around Ritsu's eyes. His heart was aching and he knew too well why. He was the very reason the always proper Ritsu would cry himself to sleep without the leisure of changing his outside clothes.

"Sleeping sloppily like that, you can't nag me now, can you?" Shou muttered to himself with a soft smile. He moved his finger again and stopped abruptly before he touched those lips.

Endure it, he told himself. He wasn't the only one fighting loneliness. He withdrew his hand and stood up. After taking one last look at Ritsu, he turned his back and left the room.

Whatever may happen in the past, Ritsu is still a human being in the world of light. More than anything, he admires his older brother and wishes to live a fun life true to his self. Hence, Shou had no right to take him away from his brother's side. There's no need for Ritsu to stoop down where he is and spend his life hiding in the dark. Before it's too late, Shou had to keep him away, even if it means shattering his beloved person's heart.

* * *

The sky was pitch-black that night. There was no cloud, giving chances for thousands of tiny stars to do their best to sparkle. It reminded Shou of Ritsu's eyes. That pair of obsidian black orbs with little glint from time to time had been enchanting since he first saw them. His initial thought when he started calling Ritsu gorgeous in his mind was no good. Though, he accepted it surprisingly fast.

"Suzuki…?"

The said man turned to the where the voice came from. There's only one person who addressed him with his surname. Before looking he already knew the owner of that clear, gentle voice. "Oh, it's Ritsu…" he uttered.

"Why are you here?"

Shou tilted his head in confusion. _To see you, of course. _He wanted to say so, but didn't voice it out. Had he been missing Ritsu so much that he started hallucinating? Because there's no way he is real. There's no way Shou would actually gone all the way to see him. That'd be a suicidal move to his effort. Was he dreaming? That might be it. His head was feeling so much lighter than usual and there were spring in his steps.

If that's the case, if it's really just a dream, then he should be allowed to do anything. It was fine even just in dreams, he wanted to touch Ritsu. He approached him and when the distance became too close for comfort, Ritsu pulled back.

He frowned as he smelled the scent of liquor from Shou. "What's wrong with you? Have you been drinking?"

Shou didn't seem to be listening. The gap the other put in between, he closed it quickly. Without so much of a warning, he reached out and cupped Ritsu's face in both his hands. As if burning the image of that man into his mind, Shou stared at him intensely, robbing him the chance to look away or try to break free. It was crazy how just by the sight of Ritsu, he was nearly brought to tears.

"What…?" Ritsu mumbled weakly.

Shou then kissed him gently. It lasted no longer than a few seconds, yet the most satisfying one he had ever felt. Their lips separated and Ritsu looked at him with widened eyes. He silently winced and pulled the raven-haired in an embrace. What's with this dream, Ritsu's reaction was so real that his heart was stinging.

But regardless of how realistic it is, a dream is still a dream. Only in that moment, that very second, Shou thought that he could voice out his sincerest thoughts. "Ritsu… Ritsu…" he called, feeling the presence of his beloved person, even if it's just in his own imagination.

"The truth is… there's nowhere I want to be but by your side."

The hands on Shou's back stopped from struggling to pull him away.

"I don't want to let go of you, but for your sake… I can't…"

Those hands began to tighten their grasps instead, hugging him in return.

The following morning, Shou woke up in the apartment of his and Ritsu's without any recollection of what happened the night before. Assuming he had gotten so drunk that he went home to the wrong place from force of habit, he then snuck out faster than a lightning would. Unknowingly to him, that very night, Ritsu had made up his resolve.

* * *

A week had gone by dully since Shou met up with one of his used-to-be underlings. Actually everything had been incredibly boring recently and he knew why. What he does day in and out had not differed much, except for the absence of a certain person. Shou shook his head lightly to disperse the thought. It caught the attention of one of his new lackeys.

"Is there something wrong, Leader?"

Shou rolled his eyes to the skinny man standing next to him in the fairly spacious elevator. "Nah, it's nothing." _You wouldn't care anyway_. He had no intention to get too chummy with anyone in this side of world aside from work related matter. He couldn't quite agree when Fukuda claimed he had not changed at all.

Unlike the time with those three, Suzuki Shou had learnt that putting his feelings in this line of work was futile. Day after day, he could only sense himself becoming more distrusting to everyone else around him. Somewhere in his heart, he knew he had only one way to maybe, keep himself sane. And that just turned out to be something he couldn't have the most. Though, what didn't cross his mind then was that one thing itself forcing its way into his life.

The yellow light above the elevator's door lit up, indicating their arrival to the desired floor. None of the men inside moved before Shou exited the box of steel made grand to fit the apartment building design.

"You guys can go back now." He said, waving without looking back. Not even bothering to wait for their response, he walked away to where his room was.

Just like all the other nights, Shou felt that he wasn't going to have a good night of sleep. With such thought, he dragged his feet into his house. After taking off his blazer and tossing it elsewhere, he collapsed onto the living room couch. He pressed his eyes close, trying to get some rest even just a little.

While he was having some sweet time relaxing, something crept up on him from behind, ever so slowly. The moment it was close enough and about to swing itself on Shou's head, the man turned around in a heartbeat to stop it with his telekinesis. He swiped his finger down, dropping the object to the floor. It made a crashing sound and when he looked, he found out it was one of the decoration flower vase in his house.

Immediately, Shou got up on his feet, calmly analysing the situation. Someone was in his house, an intruder, an esper no less. It's a piece of cake for people with decent psychic power to pick the lock without problem. But outsiders couldn't get past the securities of the building easily unless they're knocked out cold. There was no such commotion, meaning the intruder was powerful enough to either lift himself with telekinesis and enter through the window or perform teleportation like Shimazaki.

He tried turning on the lamp, but the electricity seemed to be cut off on purpose. The reason could be none other than putting Shou in disadvantage and sneaking attacks in the dark. This person, whoever it could be, seemed to have arranged well knowing they had no chance winning against him head on. Actually, he felt like he knew who it was. The careful, elaborate plan with accurate timing and Shou's habit in consideration, as though they've known him from head to toe. He could only think of one person, but why?

"Ritsu?" He tried calling, into the darkness of his spacious, hollow house.

No answer, as he expected. Shou glanced at the shattered pieces of broken vase again and wondered to himself what would be of him if it did hit. Is that really Ritsu? Is that guy serious? Had he became nuts and finally decided to assassinate Shou for breaking his heart? That can't be true, can it?

"I know you're there, Ritsu!" He tried once more. If he was wrong, that guy should be throwing the next attack as of now, but it didn't come. "Come out n—Hey!"

Instead, he moved in a quick motion, but was slow enough for Shou to figure out where he was. With the help of sheer light slipping in from his balcony, he could see the guy ran to where the kitchen was and disappeared into the darkness again. Shou's feet followed the shadow, mind filled with hundreds of question marks. Oddly, he had no doubt anymore of that guy's identity. The remaining was, yet, why?

He stepped into the kitchen with alert, but his opponent was faster than he was prepared for. An arm secured his neck from behind, trapping him in a headlock before he realized it. Shou couldn't really look back but with that, he could now confirm his intruder was indeed Kageyama Ritsu. Be it his hold, body warmth, smell, they were far too familiar to him, although recognizing them in his current situation was kind of awful. Upon his realization, Ritsu began to pull back, choking him.

Startled, Shou instinctively reacted to fight back. He grabbed Ritsu's arms on his neck, pulling down instead. His left elbow moved to knock on the other's groin before stopping abruptly. He cursed shortly for not being able to hurt Ritsu, even though the other was coming to him with killing intent. But thanks to that, the raven-haired was thrown off guard, so Shou moved his other arm to push him backwards on the forehead. When Ritsu lost his balance, he broke free and threw the former on the ground.

Silence enveloped them for the first few seconds afterwards. "That… That was crazy…!" Shou managed, in between catching his breath. "What the hell's up, Ritsu?!"

The said man got up from the floor, though no sign of answering the question.

Shou had yet to give up. "Hey, you heard me! What's gotten into you?"

"Shut up." Was the only response he was given. Ritsu distanced himself a little then lifted one hand to his side, preparing to use his telekinetic power.

"Are you still coming?"

Light blue aura started coating several objects in the kitchen, and as he lifted them up, knives, forks, and such tableware was ready on his command.

"For real?!"

He closed his palm, changing from holding stance to release, throwing all his 'missiles' to Shou. Using the rain of attacks as camouflage, he himself also charged forward to land a blow.

Everything happened so fast that, truthfully, Shou couldn't even quiet keep up. All he knew was that he was getting irritated. He didn't know what Ritsu wanted from him, but now that his ambushes had failed, he was being reckless. He wouldn't listen as well. Gritting his teeth in vexation, Shou used one hand to negate the attacks all at once. In an instant, those metal utensils lose their support and fell simultaneously, producing clinking noises in a mass. And Shou had had another hand on Ritsu by his neck.

The raven-haired didn't move an inch as Shou held him firmly, his one hand curled into a fist, flaring in reddish orange aura to threaten the former to stay in place. Their gazes met, at last. Anyone could tell Shou was undoubtedly angry now.

"Ritsu," He started, in a really low pitch. "That's enough."

Even Ritsu flinched a bit at that, averting his eyes nervously. He still refused to speak, but powerless, he stayed put. And that very sight had Shou's heart skipped a beat. They've been together for nearly ten years, yet Ritsu showing his submissive side was still a rare occurrence. As expected, his tough front crumbled a little and that's all the opening Ritsu needed.

At a moment's notice, when Shou's strangle hold loosened slightly, Ritsu seized his collar and dropped himself backward. "Wha—" The orange-haired gasped, but he was too late and was falling onto Ritsu. A loud thud hammered the wooden tiled floor as their bodies came in contact with it.

Shou groaned in pain, rubbing his forehead. "What the heck…?"

On the other hand, Ritsu wasted no time as soon as they sat up. He got himself on top of Shou, pressing his shoulders to keep him down.

Crap, Shou thought. He was too quick to let his guard down. Though, the next action his ex-boyfriend did surprised him to the point he forgot how to think straight. Shou opened his mouth to talk, but Ritsu used that chance to his favour. He grabbed his face and locked their lips together.

Shou's eyes widened, his body turned rigid in shock. His mind went blank as Ritsu kept nibbling on his lower lip and sweeping the tip of his tongue over it, tempting him to respond. Shou had no idea what was happening anymore. Was it okay to go along with the flow there? Wasn't Ritsu trying to kill him just seconds ago? Unfortunately, he was won over by his sexual desire when he let an opening for the other to slide a tongue in his mouth.

It was scary how nothing before seemed to matter anymore as Shou started enjoying the kiss. The way their tongues danced against each other was hot, passionate, and addicting. His hands, which were hanging in the air, gradually relaxed and found their way on his opponent's frame. Ritsu shivered as he ran his fingers from his hip up to his shoulder. Just when things were getting good, Ritsu withdrew his tongue and as Shou went after him, he came back, shoving something into his mouth.

The pair of blue green eyes flung open in alarm right away. His hand reached upward, grasping the other's black locks and pulling them apart. Shou turned to the other side and spitted out the object he was nearly made to swallow. It was a capsule, which outer shells were beginning to melt. He looked at it in horror. Luckily, he came back to his sense just in time before Ritsu could push it down his throat.

Seeing that, Shou felt his rage drawing back to him. "Don't joke with me…!" He spun around and captured Ritus's wrists, preventing him from escaping. With knitted eyebrows, he exclaimed. "What are you trying to make me drink?!"

Ritsu wouldn't look at him in the eyes. He clenched his teeth, striving to get away, but was losing in strength.

"I said that's enough! Answer me, Ritsu!" Shou was furious, clearly, though not because his life was at risk. Somewhere in his heart, probably unknown to him, he thought he wouldn't mind death if it is by Ritsu's hands, all the more since he had given him a good reason to deliver him an execution. The only thing he couldn't forgive in Ritsu's attempt was he putting himself in danger. "What's in there? Poison? Are you stupid? If you weren't careful, you'd end up drinking that yourself! What are you going to do if you die?!"

Suddenly, the man in question stopped his wrestle. His shoulders went limp, head hanging low. Curious, Shou bent down to peek at his face and was stunned. Tears welling around his eyes, the raven-haired said, almost in a whisper. "Even if it's like that, it's fine."

"H-How is that fine?" replied Shou instantly. When he inadvertently imagined the death of this man, his beloved, the tone of his voice went down in desperation. "You… Only you… it's not fine."

"It is! If I had had enough resolve to kill you, then I'm prepared to die myself too!" At his raise of voice, Shou looked up to see the stream of tears flowing down Ritsu's cheek. "That's why don't leave me behind!"

Caged behind his ribs, his heart thumped loudly. It wasn't the word he expected at all. Holding onto his flimsy pride, the will to go along the tragic scenario he made up, he denied Ritsu. "What?" The shaking in his voice, however, didn't help much. "Ritsu… Why now of all time? Isn't this talk over?"

"Now of all time? That's my line!" Puzzled, Shou only stared at him, waiting for the continuation when Ritsu shook his hand off to grab his collar. "If you really think it's over, then why did you come to see me? Why did you tell me those things?"

"What… are you talking about…?"

Ritsu looked down at him. Droplets of tears began to hit his face as they continued to flow from those black orbs. "That night, coming all the way to my workplace, waiting for me in the cold weather, you did as you like and then just went home the next day! What is the meaning of all that?"

Shou gasped in realization. No wonder he was feeling unsettled for the whole week. To call it a dream was to his self-satisfaction. He should have woken up sooner. What happened that night was a reality. He had gotten so drunk in his own sadness that he committed an unforgiveable mistake. After coldly telling Ritsu he had no place in his heart anymore, he ruined his own plan by confessing his true feelings.

"Do you want to say you don't remember, damn drunkard?" Ritsu scowled before he could say anything. "But I won't let you! I've heard it, your words, your real desire!" Gulping down a sob, he continued, changing to a calmer tone. "You're a jerk, you know that? I had wanted to give up too. But I couldn't because I've heard those. So, I'll ask you one more time, Shou. Are you not coming back to me ever again?"

Both of them fell into silence. In contrast of the drying stream on Ritsu's face, Shou felt like he was the one about to cry this time. He had the sudden urge to pull the other man in a hug and he did. The second chance he never dared to wish for came for him to answer that question. "I want to! I want to come back to you so badly it hurts!" He said, burying his face in Ritsu's chest. "But I can't?! I can't drag you into this… I can't put you in danger…"

"Since when had I become your burden?!"

"…"

"Danger? Protect me? Don't start using those to distant me!" Ritsu circled his arms around Shou's head, embracing him. "You used to say 'It's the right call to make you a comrade' to me. It's for us to fight alongside each other, right?"

"That is…! It's different no—"

"No, it's not!" He tightened his hold, as if Shou would went somewhere again if he ever let loose. "Just like how my feelings had never change. No matter what, even if you're a devil's pawn, I had come to love Suzuki Shou as he is. Are you not the same?"

Hearing that, Shou's heart ached because he was happy. A train of memories flashed in his mind, specifically of the time in the years he had spent with Ritsu. He was the same, of course. That person is the love of his life. "Ritsu…"

"Hey, Suzuki." They pulled apart to face one another. "What do you think of my attacks?"

"Huh?"

"Just answer me."

"O-Oh, not bad, I guess?"

"But you figured out it's me right away."

There's no way he wouldn't, to be honest. Exactly because Ritsu knew all of him, it applied vice versa too. "Well, they're rough around the edges, but it was pretty remarkable. I thought I was getting killed for real."

"Right…" The raven-haired pouted, though hiding it the best he could. He didn't seem to like the feedback, but moved on quickly. "All of that, I practiced them for you."

Shou didn't get where the sudden change of conversation was leading to. He frowned, asking. "For the assassination?"

"No. It's for staying by your side."

"What?"

"I had thought it's impossible, but turns out even I can change for your sake." A meek smile formed itself on Ritsu's face. "I might not be able to face Nii-san anymore for the rest of my life. Even so, it's alright. I've chosen you, Suzuki."

Upon the declaration, Shou got up and tackled the other man on the floor. He wrapped his arms around him, hiding his tears that threatened to fall on Ritsu's shoulder. He moaned in defeat. "Why are you always like that? I'm just being led around the nose by you over and over again. Even though you don't know how much you scared me all the time!"

Ritsu said nothing in return. Knowing he had won the argument, he simply kept quiet as he ruffled Shou's hair softly.

It had been a long day and Shou finally felt comfortable, strange as the situation was. He pressed his eyes shut for a moment to appreciate the presence of the man beneath him. He was a fool, and a coward. In fear of losing Ritsu, of being rejected by him, Shou decided to cut off their ties first. But Ritsu taught him otherwise. He slapped the truth to his face, saying that they're in charge of their own fate. Ritsu had properly done his part and what would come of them was up to Shou now.

"If you say so, then I won't waver anymore. I love you, Ritsu. No matter where we are," _be it in your shining, bright world or my stained, dark one,_ "I won't let go of you any longer."

"To set it straight, I'm the one who won't let go."

A brief pause of silence filled the air before both of them burst into laughter. The past month had felt like a long, long nightmare. When it occurred, there was nothing but grief and despair, yet as it went by, it was so ridiculous that being anxious of it was such a joke.

"By the way, Ritsu, what are you even breaking in for? To test your skills on me?"

Ritsu averted his gaze, in slight guilt. "Well, I thought it'd be hard to talk to you seriously. So I figured I should knock you out first, restraint you and force you to listen."

Bewildered, Shou left his mouth in agape. "Seriously? Aren't they a little too extreme? Where did you even learn those from?"

"…Teru-san."

He internally cursed the guy. "So, what's in the capsule earlier?"

"Just sleeping pills."

"I see…" Shou exhaled, half in relief and amused. The commotion they made really had been unnecessary.

* * *

On another night, an outsider forced their way into Shou's base. His underlings made a fuss and one reported to him of the situation. Panicked, Shou rushed to the entrance. From what he heard, the description of the outsider matched Ritsu. And he was right.

"Why are you here?" he scolded. "I told you, it's not time yet."

"Yeah, I know. But something important came up."

Sensing the critical tone in his voice, Shou mellowed down. "What's wrong?"

"I'll tell you on the way. Let's go."

As Shou was about to follow in Ritsu's lead, he was stopped by some girls at the base. They whined, asking where he was going, why couldn't he stay, and such. One of them reached out to hold Shou's arm, but Ritsu stepped in just in time. He took his hand, yanking him away from those girls. Glaring daggers at them, he announced through his gaze. _"Back off. He's mine."_

He dragged Shou, exiting the building afterwards. The street was as empty as it had always been. The merciless windy cold night remained the same. But with their fingers intertwining, hand in hand, it mattered not how rough and thorny their path ahead is.

* * *

**I died at the kissing scene I want to delete it from my brain**  
**Idk if it's decent enough but yeah**

**thanks for reading anyway~**  
**feedbacks?**


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